The First Minister has repeatedly insisted that he only agreed to lobby on behalf of the Murdoch media empire for the deal because of the benefits to the Scottish economy and not to secure the Sun’s backing for the SNP.

But Mr Cable, the Business Secretary, who was initially in charge of ruling on the aborted takeover, said News Corp’s submission to him had not mentioned expanding its operations north of the Border.

Mr Salmond last night argued that this was not surprising because job creation was not one of the criteria for deciding how the deal should proceed, but Mr Cable said the First Minister was in a “very embarrassing and exposed position”.

Speaking on a visit to Edinburgh, he also said the First Minister’s separation plans are causing “another level” of economic uncertainty in the business community that it could do without during the eurozone crisis.

His comments on the BSkyB deal came after the Daily Telegraph disclosed last month how Mr Salmond’s civil servants cannot produce any documents to substantiate the jobs claim.

Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary, who later took control of the takeover from Mr Cable, has already said he was unaware of the takeover increasing employment.

Asked if News Corp said the deal would create jobs, Mr Cable said: “No. I made it very clear in my evidence to the Leveson Inquiry that I was not open to pressure from either side and I judged it in an impartial way on the basis of the evidence that was submitted in writing.

“That (jobs) was certainly not part of the case that was made.” Of Mr Salmond’s conduct, the Business Secretary added: “I am aware he is in a very embarrassing and exposed position.”

The Leveson Inquiry heard how the First Minister initially promised News Corp to lobby Mr Cable, who had to decide whether to refer the deal to the Competition Commission.

However, before he could act, the Business Secretary told undercover reporters from the Daily Telegraph he had “declared” war on Rupert Murdoch.

When the comments became public, responsibility for the decision was passed to Mr Hunt. E-mails released by the inquiry showed Mr Salmond promised to lobby the Culture Secretary “whenever” News Corp wanted.

Another email showed he wanted James Murdoch to "smooth the way" for the Scottish Sun backing his party and concluded he would "make himself available" to back the BSkyB bid.

The deal later collapsed in the wake of the phone hacking scandal.

Willie Rennie, the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, said Mr Cable’s comments showed Mr Salmond lobbying deal “was nothing to do with what was best for Scotland and all to do with political support for the SNP.”

“It seems odd that News Corp would stay silent on the impact of their BSkyB bid on Scottish jobs in representations to the UK Government if what Mr Salmond says is true,” he said.

But, despite the lack of any civil service record, the Scottish Executive insisted that James Murdoch had promised “an increase in operations in Scotland” during a meeting in January last year.

A spokesman said: “The whole point is that jobs and investment criteria were not part of the UK Government’s consideration of the consolidation of BSkyB ownership, and Scottish ministers believed that they should be.”